Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-03-09
DINING WITH A PRINCE.
Eow a Member of Persian Royalty
Entertains His Guests.
I Feast servad In Taiar Built IN the
Saracenic style of the ,Afhambra-
Peculiar Terpsichorcan Feats-
Story Teliers and Dancers.
tst James Gazette /,

| St James Gazette
! The first time that had the pleasure Oh
being entertained by Persian Prince was
when 6ined with the Scrrum-u- Dowlct,
the son of the Governor of the Province Of
Kermanshail, who was the Kings uncle.
About five in the afternoon arrived with
friend at the Princes houae 1t wasyin
the summer time, aud His Highncss was
| sitting with HIS brother in large talar or
archway, q sort Of windowless room, the
open 'front.' of which looked upon large
ha1x or tank, into aud from which clear
water ran continuously. The whole talar
was built in the Arabian of Saracenic
style of the Alhambra; but the decora-
tons were far less chaste and much mors
forid. There were life-sized, full.length
portraits of dancin g-girls in all possible
and impossible attitudes. Some were bal
ancing knives or goblets, others were la
the various posturcs OF the Eastern dance
while one was depicted as standing on her
head. All these pictures were faithful
ilSenesses OF court favoritcs made by the
court painters. The Persians, unlike 9TH
er Mohammedans, delight il representa-
tions of female beauty, in which their
artists excel Tho rccesses in the walls
were filed with chrome Autographs of
very dsbious taste, Let in and glazed
There were old chandeliers of various col
ors hanging from the lofty arch; twenty
pairs OF carriage lamps were stuck in
staples on the walls, and from each of
hese depended tiny cage in which q
nightingale was singing, in emulation Of
his fellows, at the full pitch Of his voice.,
In the center of the apartment open to
the air, was "a basin five feot in diameter.
Of the alabaster-iike yellow-veined marble
OF Yczd; anu in this basin single largo
jet Of water, the thickness of a mans arm,
played furiously.
1t was now sunset, and military band.
some twenty strong, and all apparently
playing diff ent tunes, PRODUCED O tohu-
bohu truly diabolical. Then wine was
served-the delicious but hcady wine OF
Hamadan. Trays of sweetmeats, each
containing dozen varieties Of beautifully
made bonbons and comfits, all of snowy
whitencss were placed en- the ground at.
either side of each of the party. The
guests drank their wine from glasses; the
hosts used bowls of silver of the size and
shape OF finger-glass. Spirits in the form
OF arrack-the strong, coarse spirit of the
country-wcrc offered TO us and declined
Our hosts drank 1t like water.
And now entered four lutis or buffoons.
They sang, they danced and they told short.
stories, to the intense amusement of our
hosts Then, amid the Rhythmic beating
CT drums and tambourinos, tho clash Of
cymbals and the sounds Of the cornet, fute
harp, viol, ssckbut and all kinds of music
came four pretty Gypsy girls, half-dressed
in the gayest oolors and covered with
glittering jewclry. They sailed into the
room, each decorated with her profession
al smile. Truth to say, these girls were
much painted, but in Persia every lady
paints on great occasions. Tho eyebrows
and eye-lashes had bceu much beautificd.
A tiny Zorave jacket of bright satin en-
bro!dcred with gold and sced-pearls, was
all the clothing worn above tho
waist. The shirts reached to the
kneo and were much bouffe like
those of our orera-d dancers. Two of the
girls wore their jetty tresses in innumer-
able plaits; from the end of each plait
hung n little bell or a silver COIN The
other two allowed their magnificent chcae-
lures of wavy black hair to hang in q cas-
cade which fell far s,iow their waists.
AS to their eyes, it is enough to say that
they were Persian eyes. The age of the
dancers varied from fifteen years to seven
teen.
The dance had no variety. Tho four
young ladies spun round in row, the
hands high in air, while the fingers were
snapped with sound like the playing Of
castanets. Now and then the dancers
would make what children call "a cheese"
Then, while their feet remained motion
less, their bodies would be swayed and
contorted more and more rapidly as the
music Quickcned. Then the head was
bent back till it almost touched the ground.
the fingers being snapped in time to the
music, while one girl clashed a pair of
cymbals IAN inch in dameter) between
the forefinger and thumb Of each hand.
Meanwhile the nusici ans were singing
Persian love song with wild refrain, in
which all joined. The scene was suffi-
ciently gay one, all taking place under ii
blaze OF light from the chandeliers and
carriage-lamps.
The girls now danced singiy and va
riety of posturing was gene through.
They balanced full glasses and lighted
candles; they stood on their heads; they.
walked on their hands in procession
enulatirg the more difficult attitudes de-,
pctcd on the walls. Then they danced g. :
rather graceful scarf-dance. Then their. !.
attention became personal They would
be well-rewarded by our hosts, but we
gave them a few coins, and they retired,
smiling and kissing their hands.
Dinner was serycd-the uoual Persian
banquet of hundred dishes Dinner for
four, food for fifty. At eleven O'Clock we
were allowed TO depart, leaving our hosts
in the humor to make a night Of it. The
fountain was still playing; so was the,
band The girls were still dancing, the
lights blazing, the bulbuls still singing.